Best Place to live in Phoenix area for 200k (Mesa: houses, buying)

[gromitmpl]

Ok. So my budget is only $200k and I need a three bedroom home. I am not familiar with the Phoenix area so would like to get some ideas about where the best place live on that budget would be. Is that possible or on that budget can I expect that I'll be living in a combat zone? Ive seen houses that I would appear to be ok in that price range but then again I know nothing about the areas.

Another way to put the question is - if you had 200k and had to live in the Phoenix Metropolitan area where would you live? I work from home so a commute is not an issue for me. So lets just say the only parameter besides the 200k/3br 2ba home is that its within a 20 mile radius of Phoenix. I think that would include Surprise in the NW and Gilbert in the SW. Im looking for the best area for the budget.

Thanks for any information.

[WSPHXPELON]

This is a huge generalization, but to put it into simple terms: For $200k in the Metro Phoenix area you can either afford a nice home in a crappy area or a crappy home in a nice area. If you want a nice home in a nice area expect to spend at least $400k.

Edit - Unless you want to live in the boonies like Maricopa or San Tan Valley or something like that. But that's not even the valley anymore.

[sh9730]

Move it to 30-40 miles and you ll have MANY more choices of newer, larger houses in Queen Creek, SanTan Valley, Maricopa (city of), and cities to the west including Surprise as you mention and Buckeye. 200K will by you a lot of house in many of these places.

I work from home and went out even a bit further - Casa Grande - 45 miles to downtown (but only about 35 to the metro itself) just for that reason - much more house for the money.

[ddandano]

north Glendale / Peoria

[cab591]

Why the 20 mile radius to downtown Phoenix? If it's for restaurants / shopping / nightlife, you can find that all across the Valley. Tempe, Scottsdale, Mesa, Gilbert, Phoenix and Glendale all have distinctive downtowns -- Phoenix just has a few tall buildings.

If I had that budget, and worked from home, I'd be buying somewhere around Gilbert / San Tan Valley. You can fly in and out of Mesa Gateway for cheap, or take the shuttle from Mesa Gateway to Sky Harbor for other flights (parking at Mesa Gateway is WAY cheaper). Houses there are very nice, new construction. San Tan Village has all the stores and restaurants you could want, and downtown Gilbert isn't too far away.

[Hal Roach]

85012, 85014, 85016.....the better half of north central....older homes on bigger lots on better soil than all the exurbs. Surprise sucks, and you couild do better than casa grand with a dartboard. Any place where they can easily build new subdivisions will not pay off very well...in fact Some of the better investments will be places that could even be worth more with the house not on them...infill in convernient locations.

[sh9730]

Hal Roach,

"you couild do better than casa grand with a dartboard"???

First I wasn't suggesting the OP needs to come out this far to accomplish his goal - was just using my situation as emphasis.

And have you even been here lately? LOTS going on - Phoenixmart is finally starting to move ahead - several other large projects including the Attesa Racetrack complex, - and very possibly (but not ready for official announcement yet) a large manufacturer coming to town in 2017 with 2K well paying jobs. These projects and others in the mix will bring thousands more people here to help fill back in some of the loss of the collapse that has not already been accomplished.

[breakingbad]

Originally Posted by sh9730

Move it to 30-40 miles and you ll have MANY more choices of newer, larger houses in Queen Creek, SanTan Valley, Maricopa (city of), and cities to the west including Surprise as you mention and Buckeye. 200K will by you a lot of house in many of these places.

I work from home and went out even a bit further - Casa Grande - 45 miles to downtown (but only about 35 to the metro itself) just for that reason - much more house for the money.

Queen Creek!

[AZ_Rookie]

I have 50K - what car should I buy

[Jkgourmet]

Originally Posted by AZ_Rookie

I have 50K - what car should I buy

Beats me - but you'll have a lot more choices than the OP unless he increases that 10-20 mile requirement.